Bob Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Gilligan on the 1960s television series Gilligan's Island and Maynard G. Krebs on the earlier Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He appeared on many other shows including The Good Guys, Dusty's Trail, and Far-Out Space Nuts, but these could not match his success as Gilligan. In 1998, he was arrested for marijuana possession and in 2005, he underwent heart surgery. After that he learned he had cancer. Before he became an actor, Denver worked as a mailman and a high school teacher.